Royal Caribbean Dodges Big Hit From Cuba Cancellations
Photo Credit: Royal Caribbean International's Harmony of the Seas, the world"s largest and newest cruise ship, previews in Barcelona, Spain. Royal Caribbean / Simon Brooke-Webb Photography
Skift Take
The debut of a new private island is helping Royal Caribbean raise pricing on shorter itineraries. If China returns as a major market as well, 2020 could be a strong year for the cruise line.
The impact of disruptive storms and increased restrictions on U.S. travel to Cuba has presented some headwinds for cruise line giants this year.
The Cuba chaos hit Royal Caribbean Cruises less hard than rival Carnival Corp., according to the company's second quarter earnings presentation. It had fewer sailings to the country and also launched its new private resort Perfect Day at Cococay in May.
Net income ticked upwards to $472.8 million in the second quarter of 2019, a small year-over-year increase. Gross yield
